20. Health & Wellness Program

Table of Contents

20.1 Policy

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. To achieve the mission of the OIST Graduate University (hereinafter “the University”), it is critical that students and staff members are able to study and/or work to their optimum. Ensuring and maintaining good health and wellbeing is critical to this mission. By establishing and operating the OIST Clinic, Health Center and Ganjuu Wellbeing Service (Psychology led service providing therapy, consultation & skills training to support individuals, teams and organizational wellbeing), the University aims to meet the physical & emotional needs of the OIST community. Students and staff members can access these services within work time.

20.2 Rules

20.2.1 OIST Clinic

20.2.1.1 Name of the clinic
The clinic on campus is named as OIST Clinic.

20.2.1.2 Providing medical care
OIST Clinic is a health insurance medical facility at the campus that is available for medical treatment. It is available to OIST affiliates and local residents.

20.2.1.3 Confidentiality
OIST Clinic handles personal information which may come to our knowledge in the course of work with the utmost care. We do not release the information without the consent from the person unless it has a reasonable cause to do so, such as an emergency case.

20.2.2 OIST Health Center

20.2.2.1 Services
OIST Health Center plans and manage health checkups, provides health consultations, and first aid treatment to support members of the OIST community (the eligibility is defined under PRP 1.4.1 of the University) and their families maintain and improve their health and lead fulfilling lives.

20.2.2.2 Handling personal information
OIST Health Center handles personal information which may come to our knowledge in the course of work with the utmost care. We do not release the information without the consent from the person unless there is a reasonable cause to do so, such as an emergency case.

20.2.3 Ganjuu Wellbeing Service

20.2.3.1 Purpose
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service provides services to support wellbeing of the University and the OIST community.

20.2.3.2 Services provided
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service provides the following services:

Development and support of initiatives related to wellbeing and community
Workshops and training related to wellbeing
Services to teams (team building, mediation.)
Information, advice and consultation on wellbeing or interpersonal matters, and
Psychological therapy

20.2.3.3 Medical treatment availability
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service does not provide medical treatment. Psychiatric and medical consultations can be arranged via the OIST Health Center.

20.2.3.4 Language support
Services are provided in English and Japanese.

20.2.3.5 Eligibility and costs
All members of the OIST community (adults and children) who are living in Japan are able to receive the services, for free. The service is intended to support OIST community members who reside in Okinawa, with some exceptions that would be considered on an individual basis.

Eligible members for this service include full-time and part-time employees, students and immediate family members. Temporary staff whose work at OIST is identical to directly employed staff are included. Vendors and temporary staff whose place of work can be changed by their employing agency are not included.

The immediate family refers to a spouse, partner or children who live in the same household. Exceptions may be made for family members residing outside of the family home if the nature of a relationship is significant in supporting an employee or student (for example, separated spouses/partners who share care for children, or parents who are admitted on a visa to provide child-care). This is at the discretion of the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service.

20.2.3.6 Confidentiality
The Ganjuu Wellbeing Service keeps all personal information, confidential within the team. All clinical staff are bound by professional practice guidelines regarding confidentiality. The Ganjuu Wellbeing Service administrator has clear expectations and supervision from clinical staff at the Service regarding their responsibilities for confidentiality. Verbal or written information will not be disclosed without permission from the person it relates to (or from their parent/guardian if they are not able to provide informed consent), except in the following circumstances:

If clinical staff believe that the individual or a third party is at risk of serious harm. This includes imminent risk of death or significant injury to self or another, reports of or risk of abuse or neglect to a child. In this case, confidentiality is broken in order to reduce the risk of harm by involving relevant people or services that can provide the necessary support. Wherever possible this will be discussed with the individual, first, unless disclosure expose the individual or others to serious harm.
If disclosure is required by Japanese law.
Information relating to children 12 years and under will be shared routinely with parents/guardians unless there is a child protection issue in doing so. In most cases parents or carers will need to be involved in the intervention.
For young people, aged 13-18 years, Ganjuu Wellbeing Service will negotiate with the young person and parents/guardians to reach an agreement about feedback which is appropriate to the developmental stage of the young person, and the clinical risk involved.
For the maintenance and improvement of therapeutic services, the management of risk, and to adhere to professional practice guidelines, information will sometimes be shared with professional external consultants. This information will not be personally identifiable. Any external consultants are also bound by professional practice guidelines pertaining to confidentiality.

20.2.3.7 Record Keeping
As part of good professional practice, the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service keeps written records to support work with individuals, couples, families and groups. Individuals can request access to their own records which the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service holds about them under the conditions prescribed by the Protection of Personal Information Act in Japan; however, information provided by a third party cannot be disclosed without agreement from the third party. Any information requests will be first sent to the OIST Rules and Compliance Section for review.

Case notes are kept on paper and are stored in a locked filing cabinet within a locked side room. Email communication may be printed out and kept as part of the record. Files are destroyed five years after discharge, in accordance with Japanese law for retention of medical records.

Letters and some other clinical information may be stored electronically on a secure drive with access restricted to the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service. Outlook calendar is used for appointment recording but people are referenced by number, not name, to prevent accidental breaches of confidentiality. Personal details are recorded within the individual file and basic demographic data is collated anonymously onto a database for service monitoring and improvement.

20.3 Responsibilities

20.3.1 OIST Clinic

20.3.1.1 Director of the OIST Clinic
The Secretary General appoints one doctor as a director from doctors who belong to OIST Clinic. The director is responsible for managing the clinic, ensuring good governance procedures are in place, and providing supervision where required.

20.3.1.2 Responsible Cashier at OIST Clinic
The Secretary General appoints one member from OIST Clinic staffs as a supervisor responsible for managing and storing the collected fees for medical care.

20.3.1.3 Cashier at OIST Clinic
The Responsible Cashier at OIST Clinic may designate a Cashier from among the personnel in the OIST Clinic to perform the duties of disbursement specified in the preceding paragraph.

20.3.1.4 Cash receipts and payments management in OIST Clinic
20.3.1.4.1 The Secretary General creates a petty cash in OIST Clinic for receipt, payment and custody of the fees in a strict manner. The management of the petty cash shall be prescribed by from the PRP 26.3.1.5 to 26.3.1.12.

20.3.1.4.2 The petty cash specified in the preceding paragraph shall not be used for any purposes other than settling medical care fees.

20.3.1.4.3 Considering the advancement of cashless payments and growing need for user convenience, OIST Clinic also accepts credit cards and other payments for medical care fees. In order to properly and safely operate credit cards and other payments transactions, the Cashier shall compile and reconcile the transaction data on a weekly or monthly basis, submit the reports to the Responsible Cashier, and receive confirmation and approval. The Responsible Cashier shall prepare the credit card and other payment transactions report, with attached receipts and other supporting documents at the end of each month, and submit it to the Supervisor for receiving, paying and custody of money in the Divisions for Financial Management.

20.3.1.4.4 The Responsible Cashier shall properly maintain and preserve all transaction records of credit cards and other payments.

20.3.1.5 Fee for medical care
OIST Clinic charges clients a fee for medical care based on the price set by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare after the treatment is completed. Clients must pay the fee at the reception after the medical care.

20.3.2 OIST Health Center

20.3.2.1 OIST Health Center
OIST Health Center plans and operates the health checkups as specified by the in Industrial Safety and Health Act and the School Health and Safety Act.

20.3.2.2 Students and Employees
Students and Employees must take health checkups as specified by the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the School Health and Safety Act.
Regulation of health checkups shall be specified separately.

20.3.3 Ganjuu Wellbeing Service

20.3.3.1 Ganjuu Wellbeing Service
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service complies with Japanese laws, University rules and procedures, and the professional practice guidelines of the professional bodies with which clinical staff are registered. The clinical psychologist(s), of the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service the President appointed as supervisor(s) is responsible for ensuring good governance procedures and overseeing the staff.

20.4 Procedure

20.4.1 OIST Clinic

20.4.1.1 Opening hours
OIST Clinic opening hours are shown on the OIST Clinic website. However, they may be subject to change due to unavoidable reasons.

20.4.1.2 Appointments
In order to see a doctor, it is required that you make a reservation by email or phone before visiting the doctor. This does not apply in case of emergency.

20.4.1.3 Fees for medical care
Public health insurance covers medical treatment at OIST Clinic. Some medical treatments that are not covered by health insurance, such as travel vaccinations, must be paid in full by the clients.

20.4.1.4 Location
OIST Clinic provides medical care in C16, Lab4

20.4.1.5 Referral to external medical facilities
OIST Clinic will refer to specialists, hospitals, and/or advanced medical facilities if necessary.

20.4.2 OIST Health Center

20.4.2.1 Opening hours
OIST Health Center opening hours are shown on the OIST Health Center website. However, they may be subject to change due to unavoidable reasons.

20.4.2.2 Location
OIST Health Center provides services in C12, Lab4.

20.4.3 Ganjuu Wellbeing Service

20.4.3.1 Opening hours
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service opening hours are shown on the Ganjuu website; however, they may be subject to change due to unavoidable reasons. Occasional services (for example workshops) may be provided at evenings or weekends at the discretion of the Ganjuu Wellbeing Service staff.

20.4.3.2 Appointments
Appointments can be made by submitting an appointment request form (available from Ganjuu Wellbeing Service website) via email, in person or by post into our letter box located outside the entrance door. In addition, we also welcome informal enquiries by telephone, email or in person if community members are unsure whether they need or want formal support and would like to first discuss this with clinical staff before submitting an appointment request form.

20.4.3.3 Location
Ganjuu Wellbeing Service is located at the President's House.